U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez said recovery from Superstorm Sandy has taken time. “Looking on the past six months since Superstorm Sandy, I am so proud of the people of New Jersey,” said Menendez. “We made it through the storm, banded together in the dark, and found there were angels and heroes among us whom perhaps we wouldn’t have known if Sandy didn’t test us as she did. And we continued to be tested after the storm—by the chilling cold of winter, by the struggle of rebuilding our lives, and by those in Congress whose delayed support for federal Sandy aid meant that half of the first six months of our recovery would be without disaster relief for Sandy. And still the people of New Jersey have remained resilient, tenacious, and strong. I have never been more proud to represent the people of New Jersey than in the past six months, and I will carry that pride wherever I go. I will never stop fighting for the federal support for our full recovery. It’s a long road ahead, and it leads to a better and stronger New Jersey.”

Menendez said he has pushed to get passed the $60.2 billion supplemental appropriations bill for Sandy-related relief to help homeowners, businesses, and communities recover, and provide resources to rebuild coastal, transportation, and clean-water infrastructure.

Home emergency benefits available

New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III today announced that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has emergency benefits available to current LIHEAP recipients who are still having difficulty paying their winter heating bills. Recipients may be eligible to receive additional assistance toward their heating costs if they have received a shutoff notice on their gas or electric bill or cannot pay for deliverable fuel such as heating oil. They have until Friday, May 31, to apply for the emergency benefits.

“We recognize the difficult times that many New Jersey families are living through, especially in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which is why we are pleased to provide emergency benefits to eligible people to help them pay for unexpected increases in home energy costs,” said Commissioner Constable. “These emergency benefits will allow vulnerable New Jersey families to pay for other necessities such as food, housing, and medical expenses.”

Income-eligible residents who have not yet applied to participate in the LIHEAP program for the current heating season have a limited time to do so.

For more information on LIHEAP, or to find the nearest agency participating in the program, please log on to www.energyassistance.nj.gov or call 1 (800) 510-3102 (LIHEAP).

County prescription card program to start

Hudson County residents will soon be able to enjoy the ProAct Prescription Discount Card Program. Created to address the underlying healthcare needs of uninsured and underinsured residents across the United States, the program is now rolling out here in Hudson County at the direction of County Executive Tom DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

With the national rate of Americans without health insurance hovering above 15 percent, coupled with rising healthcare costs, there is an increasingly urgent need to provide healthcare financial relief for the uninsured.

“Any tool that helps us assist those struggling to pay their medical bills is one we are glad to endorse,” said County Executive DeGise. “I hope our residents will investigate how the ProAct Prescription Discount Card Program may be able to help them save money and stay healthier.”

The card will provide 10-to-20 percent off branded medications and 20-to-70 percent off generic medications. Eye exams, frames, lenses and contacts could see a 20-to-50 percent discount, as well as 40-to-50 percent off the national average for LASIK services and 35-to-65 percent off hearing aids and other hearing products.

The cards will be mailed to all Hudson County residents during the week of May 6. If you do not receive one in the mail you can visit the ProAct website at: www.proactrxsavings.com or call 1 (877) 776-2285 to order a card.